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Photo: Kashyap Hosdurga, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Nestled in the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, the pristine waters of this deep, glacially carved lake make it an ideal destination for those in search of natural beauty.
A massive landslide isolated Lake Crescent from Lake Sutherland approximately 7,000 years ago. There are two uniquely adapted populations, the Crescenti and Beardslee trout, that resulted from genetic isolation following this event.
There are plenty of picnic areas around the lake. Fairholme, Bovee's Meadow, La Poel, and the North Shore all have tables.
Lake Crescent is a deep lake located entirely within Olympic National Park in Clallam County, Washington, United States, approximately 17 miles (27 km) west of Port Angeles on U.S. Route 101, near the small community of Piedmont. With an official maximum depth of 624 feet (190 m), it is the second deepest lake in the state of Washington. A lake-wide bathymetric survey was performed from 2013 to 2014 by Eian Ray and Jeff Engea and the results of this survey show the maximum depth as being 596 feet (182 m). Using GIS statistical analysis, this survey also estimated that the lake contains around 0.5 cubic miles (2.1 km3) of fresh water.
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Old-growth forest, sub-alpine lakes, and snowy peaks populate the Sol Duc landscape, while the Sol Duc River serves as a key highway for coho salmon, running through the valley and ascending to the lakes and headwaters in the surrounding mountains. The Salmon Cascades overlook is a popular destination during late October/early November. About 5 mi down the Sol Duc Road, visitors come to watch the determined coho salmon leap over the falls on their way to spawn upstream in the Sol Duc River.
The Olympic Peninsula's largest watershed. Prior to the construction of two dams in the early 1900s, it was known for its impressive salmon returns. Today, the dams are gone, and the Elwha River is now one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in National Park Service history. The Olympic Hot Springs Road and Whiskey Bend Road offer sightseeing opportunities through the valley's lowland and montane forests, as well as access to two picnic areas and a number of hiking trails. Stop to see Madison Creek Falls, a quick walk with superb views of the gushing Elwha River to the falls, with poems in between.
of precipitation each year fosters a lush, green canopy of old-growth trees and a floor blanked with thick mosses and ferns. Watch for herds of elk in the area, roll down the window (even if it is raining) and take in the smell of what seems a recently drained underwater world. Stop by the visitor center, walk the Hall of Moss interpretive trail, or hike further along the Hoh River all the way to Mount Olympus.
(3 mi round trip, 700 ft gain). A popular hike on a paved walkway to a high point with panoramic views of mountains and sea.
Small ski area with 3 lifts (2 rope tows) and 10 trails. One of only three lift-serviced ski areas in the National Park system. There are also opportunities nearby for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding.
To preserve nearly an entire glacially carved rain forest river valley from source to sea, President Truman added the narrow Queets corridor to Olympic National Park in 1953. Glaciers and snow on Mount Olympus feed the Queets River on its descent to the Pacific. This quiet area is a popular place to spot wildlife including salmon, deer and elk.